John DeWitt Clinton Atkins
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John DeWitt Clinton Atkins was an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives from Tennessee. He was born on June 4, 1825 at Manly's Chapel, Tennessee in Henry County. He attended a private school in Paris, Tennessee, graduated from East Tennessee University at Knoxville in 1846, and studied law. He was admitted to the bar, but he did not practice, instead engaging in agricultural pusuits.
He was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1849 to 1851. He served in the Tennessee Senate from 1855 to 1857. He was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-fifth Congress by Tennessee's 9th congressional district. He served from March 4, 1857 to March 3, 1859, but he was not a successful candidate for re-election to the Thirty-sixth Congress. During the Civil War, he served as lieutenant colonel of the Fifth Tennessee Regiment in the Confederate Army in 1861.
He was elected to the Confederate Provisional Congress in November 1861 and 1863. He was elected as a Democrat to the Forty-third and the four succeeding Congresses by Tennessee's 7th congressional district, and then by the 8th congressional district after reapportionment. During the Forty-fifth and Forty-sixth Congresses, he was the chairman of the United States House Committee on Appropriations. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1882.
He engaged in agricultural pursuits near Paris, Tennessee in Henry County. He was appointed United States Commissioner of Indian Affairs by President Cleveland on March 21, 1885, and he served until June 13, 1888 when he resigned. He was an unsuccessful Democratic nomination for United States Senator in 1888. He again engaged in agricultural pursuits, retired from active pursuits in 1898, and moved to Paris, Tennessee. He lived there in retirement until his death on June 2, 1908. He was interred in the City Cemetery.
This article incorporates facts obtained from the public domain Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
| Preceded by none |
Representative to the Provisional Confederate Congress from Tennessee 1861 |
Succeeded by none |
